Ffrith, Flintshire, Wales Archaeological Evaluation & Assessment of the Results
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Wessex Archaeology Ffrith, Flintshire, Wales Archaeological Evaluation & Assessment of the Results Ref: 59461.01 August 2005 FFRITH, FLINTSHIRE, WALES ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE RESULTS Prepared for: Videotext Communications 49 Goldhawk Road LONDON SW1 8QP by Wessex Archaeology Report reference: 59461.01 August 2005 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2005 all rights reserved Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No. 287786 FFRITH, FLINTSHIRE, WALES ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE RESULTS Contents Summary Acknowledgements 1 Introduction .........................................................................................................1 1.1 Project Background......................................................................................1 1.2 Archaeological Background.........................................................................1 2 Aims and Objectives............................................................................................3 2.1 Introduction..................................................................................................3 2.2 Research Questions and Aims......................................................................3 3 METHODOLOGY..............................................................................................3 3.1 Survey ..........................................................................................................3 3.2 Geophysical survey......................................................................................4 3.3 Strategy ........................................................................................................4 3.4 Excavation and Recording...........................................................................4 3.5 Finds.............................................................................................................4 3.6 Environmental and Scientific Sampling ......................................................4 4 RESULTS.............................................................................................................5 4.1 Introduction..................................................................................................5 4.2 Geophysical Survey.....................................................................................5 4.3 Possible Timber Buildings...........................................................................5 4.4 Masonry Structures......................................................................................6 4.5 Other Features and Deposits ........................................................................7 5 Finds......................................................................................................................9 5.1 Introduction..................................................................................................9 5.2 Pottery ..........................................................................................................9 5.3 Ceramic Building Material.........................................................................10 5.4 Opus Signinum, Mortar and Wall Plaster ..................................................10 5.5 Fired Clay...................................................................................................10 5.6 Clay Pipe....................................................................................................11 5.7 Stone...........................................................................................................11 5.8 Glass...........................................................................................................11 5.9 Slag.............................................................................................................11 5.10 Metalwork ..................................................................................................11 i 5.11 Worked Bone.............................................................................................11 5.12 Animal Bone..............................................................................................12 6 Palaeoenvironmental evidence.........................................................................12 7 Discussion ...........................................................................................................14 8 Recommendations..............................................................................................15 9 Archive................................................................................................................16 10 References ..........................................................................................................17 Appendix 1: Catalogue of Trench Descriptions Table 1: Finds Totals by Trench Table 2: Pottery Totals by Ware Type Table 3. Assessment of the charred plant remains and charcoal Figure 1. Location plan showing trenches, areas of previous work and scheduled areas Figure 2. Location plan showing geophysical survey areas and interpretation Figure 3. Trenches 1 and 6 (Phases 1 and 2) Figure 4. Trenches 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 (Phase 3) and previously investigated areas ii SUMMARY Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by Videotext Communications Ltd to carry out archaeological recording and post-excavation analysis on an archaeological evaluation by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ at Ffrith, Flintshire, Wales (NGR 328500 355300). The fieldwork, comprising one hand-excavated and nine machine-excavated trenches, was undertaken between 19th and 21st April 2005. A considerable number of Romano-British artefacts have been found throughout the village, many in association with possible building remains, one of which had been previously investigated. Although two areas within the village have been designated as Scheduled Monuments (SAM 164a and 164b), the nature of the Romano-British remains is not clearly understood. It is possible that they form part of a small complex of buildings or they may represent part of a larger and more extensive settlement. It was hoped that a project combining geophysical survey with trial trenching would clarify a number of key issues about the nature of the Romano-British remains at Ffrith. It was proposed that during the course of this project, two main areas were to be investigated by excavation and survey. The playing fields (SAM 164a) are situated in a natural, flat promontory formed by the confluence of two streams and any Romano-British activity may have utilised this space. The car park of Blue Bell pub and the garden of ‘The Glen’ next to it (SAM 164b) are very close to the northern stream and a previously investigated Romano-British building. In addition to these two main areas, the project also included trenching in the gardens of houses near to the site of the previously excavated remains. The results from both the magnetic and resistance geophysical surveys in the playing field (SAM 164a) proved disappointing. The magnetic data were severely distorted by both modern and earlier playground furniture. In addition, metal fences and buildings on the periphery of the survey grids resulted in disturbed areas. The resistance survey identified a few regions of high resistance; however, these proved to be of natural origin. Ground penetrating radar survey identified Victorian and modern features in the Blue Bell car park and adjacent garden, but no Romano-British features or deposits. Resistance survey in one back garden proved inconclusive as did a GPR survey of a driveway / parking area. Excavation in the area of previous excavations exposed three of the previously identified masonry walls, all of which appeared to be broadly contemporaneous, overlying the truncated remains of earlier, possible timber, buildings. Only a very small area of the possible timber building or buildings, comprising small areas of clay floors, several stake holes, a hearth and associated occupation deposits were investigated. Although finds from these deposits were scarce, and any dating is therefore tentative, an early 2nd century date is suggested. Environmental evidence from these deposits, along with the few finds and the structural remains themselves, suggest a domestic function. The three masonry walls were dated to the 2nd or early 3rd century. The walls were all constructed using unworked, or roughly trimmed, local sandstone and limestone; however, three different building methods were apparent. A well-built mortar bonded wall with associated mortar floor and external surface was interpreted as part of a iii substantial building, which earlier observations suggested contained at least one room with a hypocaust. Approximately 7m to the south was a clay bonded wall of broadly similar date. This appeared to represent the north-western corned of a separate structure, possibly a small workshop or storage building. The third wall, a curvilinear dry stone wall, was traced for approximately 8m. Earlier excavations suggested that this represented the apsoidal end of a substantial building. However, the rather crude construction and irregular form, along with the complete absence of associated floors or surfaces indicate that this is very unlikely and is more probably an enclosure wall, possibly surrounding the substantial building to the north and east. The truncated remains of a 2nd century ditch was found approximately 12m to the north-west of the mortared wall and is assumed to be broadly contemporary. A possible buried topsoil and an overlying alluvial